Pulizzi is widely known in the marketing industry. He's written multiple books and regularly speaks on the topic at organizations and events around the world — including the institute's signature event, Content Marketing World in Cleveland.

He told Crain's that it was entirely his choice to leave. The decision was part of the plan back when UBM plc bought the Content Marketing Institute for $17.6 million in June 2016. At that time, Stephanie Stahl became the company's general manager. Since then, Pulizzi said he has significantly scaled back his operational duties.

His wife, cofounder Pam Kozelka, left her position as vice president of operations in May 2017 and is now executive director of the Orange Effect Foundation, which aims to ensure that "children with speech disorders receive the speech therapy and technology they need," according to the nonprofit's website.

"On that exact date, I'll be taking a 30-day, internet-free sabbatical and spending every possible second with my family. After that, I'll be taking some very special (bucket list) trips with members of my family and will be working on some non-marketing writing projects (and other shenanigans). I'll also be increasing my involvement in our nonprofit organization, Orange Effect Foundation, and will continue to raise money for children who desperately need speech therapy and technology equipment to help them communicate more effectively."

In the post, Pulizzi also talks about struggling to make ends meet eight years ago and the factors that pushed him to transform a company he was running into the Content Marketing Institute in May 2010.

Back when the institute was planning the first conference, Pulizzi "didn't know if we could attract 100 people."

"Just a few months later, 660 people showed up at the conference and we were bursting at the hotel's seams," he wrote.

In September 2017, Content Marketing World attracted more than 3,500 people to Cleveland. The conference is coming back to Cleveland next September.

In the post, Pulizzi also gives credit to many people who helped him along the way, including several Content Market Institute staffers.

"Hopefully you've noticed that there haven't been any changes to the CMI team operations or the way we interact with the community. UBM has done a great job in continuing in the spirit that Pam, I, and the rest of the team started so many years ago," he wrote.

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